L'Oréal Miss Manga Mega Volume mascara

I stumbled across this in Boots yesterday and I just couldn't resist the super cute advertising, and the promise of big anime eyes. Already being a L'Oréal fan, I just had to give it a try.

My overall impressions are..... it's quite good. It's a perfectly fine mascara, but doesn't really offer me anything I can't already achieve with my current mascara, and I certainly don't look like a Japanese cartoon character. The brush is a bit flimsy, and bends a tiny bit when you're using it. It's also a bit tricky to get a good bit of traction to get good separation. But it is the perfect shape for getting lovely, fanned out lashes. The thin nib is great for getting at your corner lashes.

I found this mascara gave me lots of  length in just one quick coat but not a huge amount of volume. It took a fair bit of building up to get the length and volume I'm used to. But I do love that it comes in unusual colours such as turquoise and purple!

Miss Manga is currently on introductory offer at €8.99.

Babyliss curling wand

I have quite peculiar hair, it's not poker straight so turns frizzy and wavy with a hint of moisture, but at the same time won't hold a curl from a standard curling tongs for more than a couple of hours.

I love curly hair, but have grown tired of spending the guts of 80 minutes trying to get a decent curl in my shoulder length hair only to have them fall out shortly after. I got my hands on the Babyliss curling wand over Christmas and it is genuinely the answer to all my problems.

It's incredibly easy to use, you just turn it on and chose which of the 4 heat settings you want to use. It heats up in about 30-60 seconds depending on the heat you chose. The ceramic conical barrel is quite thick near the base, and gradually thins out so you can chose how tight you wan your curl to be. It comes with a handy glove so you don't burn your fingers on the wand.

I personally find that it takes about 20-25 minutes to curl my entire head and the curls stay put. I curl my hair in the morning and the next morning my hair still has a lovely curl. It won't be as neat and tidy but would only take about 5 minutes to fix up again.

I'm obsessed with this wand! I've been using it constantly since I got it and couldn't recommend it enough!

I picked mine up in Boots for just €25.99.

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse

When you think of fake tans there's one brand that would rush to the front of most people's minds- St Tropez! From what I can gather the general opinion is, or was, that it's the holy grail of faking it. However, it's always sat very far outside my price range so I never really gave it a second thought. Sure why would I with so many reasonably priced options available that promise to do the exact same thing? But I found a 500ml bottle of St Tropez Bronzing mousse for €16.50 and I thought now was as good a time as any to try. I'm not a believer of only having a healthy glow during the summer months, if you do it right you can adapt your tan all year round.

I have used this tan twice since I bought it, both times my impressions have been distinctly...... meh. I'll start with the good points-

The mousse formula is super easy to apply.

It's a huge big bottle (which I've seen on sale elsewhere for a whopping €55) so you do get a fair bang for your buck.

It has a good colour guide so streaks and blotches are easily avoided.

I haven't yet encountered the dreaded biscuit smell.

It does develop into a really lovely golden colour, actually one of the nicest I've ever come across.

BUT!!!!!

It has no staying power whatsoever. The bottle says to avoid getting wet for 8 hours. Ok, that's a bit of a pain but I can live with it. You may as well wash it all off immediately for all the good those 8 hours do. I woke up with a beautiful colour, washed my hands and then only from my wrists up had any colour. When I showered I lost any hint of colour, I was my natural white self.

It's totally unreliable. If someone accidentally spills something on you on a night out call a taxi, cos your night is over!  Like, this is worse than Sun Shimmer when threatened with moisture, it just gives up and goes home.

The bottle says to reapply every day or so, but unless you spend your days in a bubble, or in a world void of liquid, you'll be applying new tan over a blotchy mess, or you'll just be reapplying to clean skin and won't be building any colour at all.

I know people who absolutely swear by St Tropez and wouldn't hear of any other tan, I can't see why. I know I only paid €16.50, a bargain on the St Tropez price scale, but from a more realistic point of view that's 2 bottles of Cocoa Brown, a much better and more wearable tan in every way! Maybe this new breed of affordable tans have spoiled me and I just expect too much from all fake tans now.

My verdict- if I could I'd go get my money back! And then go buy some Cocoa Brown because it's everything St Tropez wants to be but isn't.

Streaks the hound left me (10 hours after application)

Seventeen Stay Time Foundation

Love love love love love!! I'm actually surprised by how much I love this foundation!

A few months ago I bought Seventeen's Miracle Matte foundation and was so disappointed by it t hat I kinda swore off their foundation for good (everything about that foundation was  bad, it oxidized really obviously, was streaky and blotchy, just...ugh). However during my last little excursion to Boots I couldn't resist the lure of a bargain and picked up their Stay Time foundation for €4. It was strange, in one Boots it was €4, but the Boots around the corner were still selling it at full price......

Anyhow, I really wanted to LOVE this foundation, as I'm very fond of Seventeen as a brand, their eyeshadow's and Doll'd Up mascara are some of my absolute beauty staples! I can happily say that I'm incredibly happy with it, it knocked my, admittedly quite low, expectations outta the park.

Stay time promises to be a full coverage (yay) that will stay flawless on your skin for 25 hours. While I've yet to test the 25 hour part, I can vouch for the rest. I need a full coverage foundation, this comes out of the bottle quite thick but spreads really easily and evenly (I applied it with a Blank Canvas F20 foundation brush). My skin tone is immediately more even and any imperfections are really well hidden with this foundation, so much so I've little need for concealer. It does dry with a bit of a shine so a finishing powder is always necessary if you like a matte finish. It's definitely very long lasting, I applied it early yesterday morning and it still looked fresh when it was time to scrub it all off, it even survived a little early evening cat nap. One of my favourite things is that it doesn't oxidise at all so you don't start with a flawless base and end up 3 shades darker by the time you finish your make up.

I picked it up in Porcelain and I'm white as a ghost so it's really good for fellow palies! I'm so very impressed with this foundation, so much so I'll be popping back up to see if I can bag another bottle for €4! If not, I'd happily pay full price for it (which is coming up as €4.79 on the Boots website as it's just that good. But I've a horrible feeling they may be discontinuing it.... which would just be typical!

Mini Boots haul December 2nd

Today I indulged myself in a little bit of retail therapy, which I think is quite well deserved after a really hellish week last week. I had no intentions of buying anything. ... but Barry M had a special offer on, then there was a little sale basket when I got up to the till. Im only one woman, there's only so much I can resist.

My first little splurge was on a Barry M eyeshadow and nail polish, and because I spent over €9 I got a free special effects glitter polish worth €5.99 absolutely free!! The polish I bought is a lovely autumnal red, I love it. And the glitter goes on really thick and is really holographic on. The shadow is a lovely light bronze colour with a gorgeous shimmer.

So I went up to the till thinking I'd been really good only technically buying 2 things.... then the sale basket got me.... I got-

Seventeen Stay Time foundation €4
Seventeen Stay Pout (Date Night) €2
St Tropez Bronzing Mousse (500ml) €16.50

Whoops....... still though, I think I got some great bargains there!

Seventeen Poreless Flawless primer

I was really intrigued by this primer as I've never seen one in a cake form before. I bought it yesterday and used it for the first time this morning. Im really impressed with it!

It's a peachy/fleshy colour in the pan and has a really balmy texture. I used my fingers to apply, at first you had to really work your fingers into the product to get any out, but it soon heats up from the heat of your fingers and become really easy to use.

Once on the skin I found it really easy to blend. I loved the matte finish, my skin looked almost airbrushed. I also found that it really minimized pores and blemishes on my t-zone and problem area's. It also made my foundation really glide onto my skin really smoothly and evenly. 

Poreless Flawless Primer is currently on special in Boots for just under €8.

Shopping spree!

A gift voucher to the value of €75 came through my letter box this morning, and after a few moments of celebratory dancing I high tailed it to the nearest shopping centre to spend it. It's actually slightly upsetting how quickly I blew through it! But I somehow managed to save a tenner!

My first stop was to SuperDrug to see if they had the new Smoking eyes pallet. ..... but I was disappointed. Actually their MUA stand was very bare, but I managed to snag the last heaven and earth pallet.

Next, I popped into Hairspray to see if they had any of the €10 innovative fibre clip in hair extensions. I love these. They're not real hair, but they look like it, and you can straighten and curl them as if they were. I have 2 of these now, and when I clip both in my hair looks incredibly full ad luscious. I rarely wear clip in's so the price is phenomenal value. If anyone is looking for cheap extensions just for occasional wear I couldn't recommend these enough.

I made a quick stop in H&M where I just bought a cute skull jumper. I'm really fond of it, I love anything with a skull motif.

Then I hit Boots like a hurricane! They're still running their Buy one get one half price promo so it was really hard to reign myself in. I went nuts at the SEVENTEEN stand, picking up the Miracle Matte foundation and pressed powder, the new Flawless Poreless primer and rebuying Doll'd Up mascara, all for less than €22. Also, because I spent over €20 I got a fiver worth of points on my Boots card!

Lastly, a quick visit to Terrisales to pick up some individual lash extentions and glue.

I'm really happy with how I spent the gift card, and think I did quite well considering I have over a tenner left on it! I can't wait to play with all the make up, but I'm gonna try to be good and put it away until my new brushes arrive....... as if.

Max Factor CC Cream

Max Factor CC Cream €15.25

I've been threatening to buy this since I first discovered it in Boots, and my holiday gave me the perfect opportunity to try a new, lighter foundation because you know..... I need it! This CC cream promised a fuller coverage to BB creams, and that was the main draw for me. I need a full coverage, so BB creams never appealed to me, and I could never find one pale enough for me anyway. I picked up the fair shade yesterday (there are 3 shades to choose from- Fair, Natural and Tanned) and tried it for the first time today.

Before powder

Overall, I'm really impressed with this foundation. The coverage isn't sensational, but it's very buildable, so you can pretty much custom match it to your needs. I applied it with a foundation brush and the liquid formula blends very smooth and evenly. I've had it on all day and it still looks freshly applied. It dries with a slight sheen so if you like a matt finish, like I do, then a finishing powder is a must. As for it's colour correcting abilities, as you can see from pictures my cheeks are still slightly flushed, but it hid the redness of blemishes very well and freshened up the circles under my eyes.

After powder (Natural Collection Pressed Powder)

17 Doll'd Up mascara and Eyeliner

Get both for €7.59 in Boots!

I've been lusting after a new mascara for a while, but i haven't seen any new ones that get my motor running for a while. I was in Boots over the weekend and found this little gem.

17 Doll'd up mascara, 2 coats

It was on special offer, €7.59 for the mascara, and you get the eyeliner free! Absolute bargain!
Initially i was a bit skeptical, as the brush is one of those hard bristle brushes, which i normally despise, but i gave it the benefit of the doubt and headed straight to the check out. And boy am i glad i did!

I'll start with the mascara, it absolutely exceeded my expectations. Im generally always pleasantly surprised by 17 mascara's, but none more so than this. It promises up to 24 hour curl, and to be fair, it pretty much delivers! Now, i haven't been pulling all nighters to test the theory, but i have been wearing it every day since i bought it. It stays put ALL day and I've yet to notice any flaking. My eyelashes look long and separated. Im even slightly converted to the ways of the stiff bristle brush!

Now on to the eyeliner, what little beauty! I go through eyeliner like nobodys business because i normally lash it on for big chunky cat flicks, and honestly, this is one of the best felt tip liners I've come across!

It has 3 tiny nibs as opposed to 1 thick one, giving you complete control over your look. Thick or thin, it's up to you. And this eyeliner isn't going anywhere. It's on for the day, no smudging, fading or bleeding. I find with most eyeliners that they will fade a lot on the outer corner of my eye, ruining my cat flick, but not this one!

All in all this is probably the best €7.59 I've ever spent in Boots. I couldn't recommend either of them highly enough!